Coating and composite frozen confections

Description

Background of the invention

[0001] The present invention is concerned with a coating, core or inclusion, composite frozen confections containing it and a process for the preparation of such composite frozen confections.

[0002] In the field of ice confectionery there is a need to procuring new eating experiences and new textures. Particularly attractive is the contrast of texture between a soft aerated ice confectionery and crispy inclusions or coating layers.

[0003] In U.S. Pat. No. 4,542,028, composite ice confection cakes comprising a multiplicity of superimposed successive thin layers of ice cream separated by interleaved very thin chocolate layers are made by successively extruding ice cream ribbons through slotted extrusion outlets on a conveyor, spraying thin chocolate layers on the ice cream ribbons and cutting portions transversally to the multilayered strand.

[0004] Composite ice confections are known which consist of an ice cream combined with a biscuit or a crisp wafer, in particular of the type such as cakes, bars and cones, cigars or sandwiches made of wafer surrounding an ice cream or filled with ice cream. These products must include a system which makes the biscuit or the wafer impervious to the moisture coming from the ice cream, in order to prevent it from losing its crisp nature, either during storage or during consumption. This is usually carried out by coating either the surface of the biscuit in contact with the ice cream, or the ice cream itself, with a fatty composition, for example with chocolate or with a coating containing chocolate.

[0005] It has been suggested, e.g. in USP 3,508,926, to reuse crumb or ground baked biscuit for secondary products, e.g. as inclusions in ice cream bulk. The problem to solve was that the baked food particles lost their crispness in the presence of water coming from the ice cream. In this baked food material the starch is gelatinised in the baking process. In order to solve the problem of high water absortivity of particles of food material containing gelatinised starch, it was Suggested to mix the particles of food material with a mixture of a shortening and emulsifier, then to rewet them, preferably with a sugar syrup and to finally dry them. The resulting crunch could be used as inclusion in ice cream bulk.

[0006] In French patent application FR-A-2204363 a biscuit composition which is suitable for use with ice cream without losing its crispy character is made by forming a dispersion of chocolate in a sugar syrup in the presence of an emulsifier, heating the dispersion, incorporating into it a cooked biscuit flour, cooling and forming the paste obtained into agglomerated biscuit sheets or cups into which or between which ice cream is deposited.

Summary of the invention

[0007] In accordance with the present invention there is provided a mass that looks like a biscuit at - 10° C or below, which is liquid from 15° C or above and which can be processed with ice confectionery as a coating, a core or inclusion, which keeps its biscuit-like consistency on storage and consumption, and which comprises a mixture of baked biscuit particles and a fat.

[0008] The invention also concerns a frozen confection comprising ice confectionery and biscuit-like mass as a coating or inclusion.

[0009] The invention further concerns a process for manufacturing a composite frozen confection comprising a biscuit-like mass as a coating, core or inclusion and ice confectionery, which comprises reducing a biscuit or biscuit crumbs, as by comminuting, crushing or grinding, to a particulate form, such as granular or powdered form, admixing the particles with a fat at a temperature comprised between 25° C and 35° C to form a homogeneous biscuit-like mass, and bringing ice confectionery and biscuit-like mass into contact.

Detailed description of the invention

[0010] The biscuit-like mass of the invention comprises a mixture of particles of baked biscuit and fat, the biscuit particles being homogeneously dispersed in a continuous fat phase.

[0011] The mixture contains 20 to 60 % by weight and preferably 40 to 60 % by weight of biscuit particles and 80 to 40 % and preferably 60 to 40 % by weight of fat.

[0012] The fat preferably has a solid fat content of about 95 % at 10° C and about 5 % at 25° C.

[0013] The fat as employed herein is selected from the group consisting of partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, e.g. vegetable oils commonly used in food such as cottonseed or soybean oil, unmodified coconut fat, fractionated palm oil, partly fractionated milk fat and mixtures of those fats. Any vegetable fat or mixture which melting point is ranking from 10 to 35 ° C and with the required melting characteristics as outlined hereinbefore can be used with similar results in the context of the invention. Preferably, the fat is high oleic partially hydrogenated vegetable oil.

[0014] Chocolate, nut paste, peanut paste or fat based confectionery "compound" coating based on cocoa butter, receptively cocoa butter equivalents may be used as a fat and/or as flavour base in an amount representing 5 to 50 % by weight of the fat.

[0015] Biscuit powder, preferably containing more than 97 % by weight dry matter may be used alone or combined with other type of dry powder ingredients selected from the group consisting of cocoa, cereal, preferably rice, milk, nuts or coffee. In the case of cocoa, cereal, milk in an amount of non biscuit powder representing preferably from 1 to 50 % by weight of the powders and in the case of nuts and coffee representing preferably from 0.5 to 15 % by weight of the powders.

[0016] Dry sugar, e.g. saccharose, fructose, dextrose, glucose may be added for taste and texture in an amount representing up to 30 % by weight of the whole biscuit-like mass.

[0017] Salt and spices may be added , depending on the perception expected.
Natural or artificial flavours and colours may be added, depending on the perception expected.

[0018] Included pieces may be added as granulates or particles of 1 to 5 mm in diameter, which are selected from the group consisting of biscuit crumbs, meringue, nuts, confectionery, candies, cereal, fruit, chocolate in an amount representing up to 25 % by weight of the biscuit mass.

[0019] Thus, a preferred biscuit-like mass of the invention is liquid and pumpable at about 15 to 35 ° C and has a soft to crispy consistency at ice confectionery temperature of about -10° C to -25°C, which allows it to be processed as a coating or inclusion with ice confectionery.

[0020] For carrying out the process for manufacturing the biscuit-like mass, a biscuit or biscuit crumbs is reduced by comminuting, crushing or grinding, to a particulate form, such as fine granular or powdered form. All the ingredients except the biscuit, flavour and colours are warmed up in a double jacketed tank under continuous stirring at a temperature of from 25 to 35° C. Then the biscuit(s) is(are) mixed along with the particles, sugar, flavours and colours are added to the fat to form a homogeneous mass in such a way that lumps and incorporation of air are avoided. The mass is then transferred to a double jacketed tank and maintained under continuous slow stirring at temperature of from 25 to 45° C.

[0021] The composite products of the invention comprise alternate zones of biscuit-like material and ice confectionery.

[0022] In the present context of the invention, ice confectionery is an aerated ice composition, for example aerated ice cream, sherbet or sorbet or ice yoghurt having a soft texture which is extruded or moulded.

[0023] Aeration may be at an overrun of between 40 and 150 %, and preferably at 80 to 120 % overrun. In the case where it is extruded, it is processed in a freezer where it is aerated and extruded at about - 5° C, -6° C. When it is moulded, a mix is filled at positive temperature into moulds where it is frozen in a refrigerated environment and demoulded.

[0024] The confectionery composition may consist of distinct ice cream, sherbet or sorbet or ice yoghurt of different colour and perfumes which may be co-extruded and may contain syrups or sauces or small inclusion particles so as to produce a composite or marbled or spotted body of substantial soft texture.

[0025] In addition to the contrasted ice confectionery and biscuit-like layers or zones, the composite products may contain layers or zones of additional material such as thin layers of fat-based crispy material, preferably chocolate or confectionery coating, layers or cups of biscuit or chocolate coated sugar wafer and thus be cones, filled with ice confectionery which can end in ball top or sandwiches with a filling of ice confectionery between sheets of biscuit.

[0026] The moulded or extruded sticks, top cones, cups or sandwiches are thus prepared according to regular known process.

[0027] In a first embodiment of the process, after being frozen, the ice confectionery articles, at a temperature of from - 25° C to -10° C are dipped partially or totally into the homogeneous maintained biscuit-like mass at a temperature of from 25 to 35° C from 1 to 5 s. They then dry during 10 to 30 s according to thickness and composition of the biscuit-like mass in an atmosphere preferably at about 50 % humidity. To speed up the drying time, the coated article may be dipped in a bath of cryogenic liquid, e.g. nitrogen or sprayed with cryogenic liquid. The biscuit-like coating may be applied ion a naked ice confectionery core or on a core which has already been coated beforehand with chocolate or confectionery "compound" as indicated before. In an alternative, the biscuit-like coating may be covered with chocolate or confectionery "compound" or with a dry particulate coating.

[0028] The biscuit-like mass may constitute a shell or a core or inclusion.

[0029] In a second embodiment where it is a shell, the biscuit-like mass is dosed from the bottom to the top in a mould at a temperature of from 20 to 45° C according to the type of fat used on a regular moulding line and sucked back after a holding time in the mould which defines the shell thickness. An ice confectionery, i.e. an ice cream or a water ice is then dosed into the shell. The same technology can be applied to produce a cone, a cup or a bar.

[0030] In a third embodiment where it is a core or inclusion, the biscuit-like mass can be dosed with a regular filler in an ice confectionery moulded shell at a temperature of from 25 to 45° C. Alternatively, the biscuit-like mass can be injected in an ice confectionery moulded core with a pencil type of filler at a temperature of from 5 to 45° C according to the type of fat used. Injection of the biscuit-like mass can as well create a partial or complete core or inclusion to a cone, a cup, a bulk, a bar, a cake or a portion.

[0031] In a fourth embodiment of the process, after being frozen, the ice confectionery articles, at a temperature of from - 35° C to -10° C are covered partially or totally with the homogeneous maintained biscuit-like mass by enrobing at a temperature of from 15 to 45° C. They then dry during 10 to 30 s according to thickness and composition of the biscuit-like mass in an atmosphere preferably at aboout 50% humidity. To speed up the drying time, the coated article may be dipped in a bath of cryogenic liquid, e.g. nitrogen or sprayed with cryogenic liquid. The biscuit-like coating may be applied ion a naked ice confectionery core or on a core which has already been coated beforehand with chocolate or confectionery "compound" as indicated before. In an alternative, the biscuit-like coating may be covered with chocolate or confectionery "compound" or with a dry particulate coating.
The same technology can be applied to produce a cake, a portion, a sandwich or a bar.

[0032] An important distinction from known processes is that, in the process of the invention, there is no water added in the preparation of the biscuit-like mass. As a consequence, there is no emulsion of the fat with an aqueous phase containing sugar and no dramatic increase of the viscosity of the mass as in the case where chocolate is mixed with water and sugar and this allows it to be processed in a regular coating or injection operation.

[0033] At eating temperature of e.g. -18° C to -15° C, the texture of the biscuit-like coating or inclusion can be from soft to crispy depending from the composition of the biscuit-like mass. The overall dry matter content of the biscuit-like mass preferably is of from 95 to 99.5 % by weight. The viscosity of the biscuit-like mass preferably is from 0.5 to 4 Pa.s (500 to 10000 cps) at temperatures of from 15 to 45°C.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments and examples

[0034] In the following examples, parts and percentages are by weight unless otherwise specified.

Example 1

[0035] In this embodiment, a coated extruded ice cream bar stick is prepared. A vanilla flavoured ice cream mix containing milk solids, emulsifier, vegetable fat, butter, sugar syrup and glucose of about 37 % solids is processed in a freezer to an aerated ice cream of 90 % overrun which is extruded at -6° C.

[0036] Separately, 40 % butter flavoured and sugar-containing comminuted short bread biscuit crumbs, 10 % powder sugar, flavors, colors and a fat blend of 60 % partially hydrogenated vegetable fat representing 60 % of the total are thoroughly mixed at 30° C to a homogeneous biscuit mass which is liquid and pumpable and which is fed to an open dipping tank provided with a stirrer.

[0037] The aerated ice cream mass is pumped through a former and vertically extruded. In the extrusion line, the former gives the shape to the cross-section of the product,
depending on the shape of the extrusion die. A slab is cut out of the extruded strand by means of a conventional hot wire cutter. A stick is inserted laterally into the cut slab, the cutter timing determining the thickness of the product, and the product is evacuated to a cooling tunnel by an underlaying plate conveyor. After being cooled to -25° C, the sticked slabs are taken over from the plate conveyor by a chain provided with claws for the sticks and dipped into the tank containing the liquid biscuit mass maintained at a temperature of about 30° C during from 1 to 5 s in a humidity atmosphere preferably at about 50 %. After drying during 10 to 30 s the coated sticks are packed in a flow-pack operation and stored in cold store at - 30° C.

[0038] The stick-bar has a coating of biscuit-like texture which confers a contrasting sensation in comparison to that of the ice milk mass upon consumption.

Example 2

[0039] In this embodiment, a composite moulded stick ice cream is prepared.
A vanilla flavoured ice mix containing milk solids, stabiliser gum, sugar syrup and glucose of about 32 % solids is poured into moulds, frozen in a refrigerating bath to a milk ice core, a stick is inserted and the moulded stick bar is thereafter demoulded.

[0040] Separately, 40% butter flavoured and sugar-containing comminuted short bread biscuit crumbs, 5% powder sugar, coffee powder, hazelnut paste and a fat blend of 50 % partially hydrogenated vegetable fat representing 50% of the total are thoroughly mixed at 35° C to a homogeneous biscuit mass which is liquid and pumpable and which is fed to an open dipping tank provided with a strirrer.

[0041] The moulded core at - 10° C is taken over by a chain provided with claws for the stick and dipped into the tank containing the liquid biscuit mass maintained at a temperature of about 30° C during from 1 to 5 s in an atmosphere of about 50 % humidity. After drying during 10 to 30 s the coated stick is packed in a flow-pack operation and stored in cold store at - 30° C.

[0042] The stick-bar has a coating of biscuit-like texture, which confers a contrasting sensation in comparison to that of the ice milk mass upon consumption.

Example 3

[0043] A biscuit mass is prepared as in Example 1, which is used in a shell and core moulding process. The liquid mass at 30° C is dosed from the bottom to the top of a mould travelling in a refrigerated atmosphere at -35° C and, after a holding time of 5 s, a solidified layer is obtained and the still liquid center is sucked back, which forms a shell. An ice cream is then dosed into the formed shell as a core and a stick is inserted. Finally the composite stick bar is demoulded is packed in a flow-pack operation and stored in cold store at - 30° C.

[0044] The stick-bar has a coating of biscuit-like texture which confers a contrasting sensation in comparison to that of the ice milk mass upon consumption.

Example 4

[0045] A water ice thick-wall moulded shell of 3 mm thickness is prepared in a mould by the shell and core process. Using a regular filler, a liquid biscuit mass prepared as in Example 1 is dosed at 30° C with the shell, a stick is inserted, the composite product is demoulded, packed in a flow-pack operation and stored in cold store at - 30° C.

[0046] The stick-bar has a core of biscuit-like texture which confer a contrasting sensation in comparison to that of the water ice shell upon consumption.

Example 5

[0047] A dome shaped portion is prepared by first forming an ice cream moulded body in a mould in cup shape and then injecting a liquid biscuit mass at 10° C prepared as
in Example 1 into its center with a pencil type of filler. After demoulding, the portion is coated with a chocolate coating containing minced almond particles in an enrober.

Example 6

[0048] In this embodiment, a coated extruded ice cream bar is prepared. A vanilla flavoured ice cream mix containing milk solids, emulsifier, vegetable fat, butter, sugar syrup and glucose of about 37 % solids is processed in a freezer to an aerated ice cream of 90 % overrun which is extruded at -6° C.

[0049] Separately, 35 % chocolate biscuit crumbs, 10 % powder sugar, salt and a fat blend of 55 % fractionated palm oil representing 55 % of the total are thoroughly mixed at 35° C to a homogeneous biscuit mass which is liquid and pumpable and which is fed to a double jacket tank provided with a stirrer.

[0050] The aerated ice cream mass is pumped through a former and horizontal extruded. In the extrusion line, the former gives the shape to the cross-section of the product,
depending on the shape of the extrusion die. A slab is cut out of the extruded strand by means of a conventional hot wire cutter. The cutter timing determining the lenght of the product, and the product is evacuated to a cooling tunnel by an underlaying plate conveyor. After being cooled to -25° C, the bars are taken over from the plate conveyor to an enrober and covered by the liquid biscuit mass maintained at a temperature of about 30° C in a humidity atmosphere preferably at about 50 %. After drying /hardening 1 to 3 minutes in a cooling/nitrogen spraying tunnel the coated bars are then again covered by an enrober containing white chocolate. After drying /hardening 30 to 60 seconds in a cooling/nitrogen spraying tunnel the coated bars are caoting packed in a flow-pack operation and stored in cold store at - 30° C.

[0051] The bar has a coating of biscuit-like texture which confers a contrasting sensation in comparison to that of the ice milk mass upon consumption.

Example 7

[0052] In this embodiment, a coated ball top ice cream cone is prepared.
A vanilla flavoured ice cream mix containing milk solids, emulsifier, vegetable fat, butter, sugar syrup and glucose of about 37 % solids is processed in a freezer to an aerated ice cream of 100 % overrun which is dosed at -6° C.

[0053] Separately, 35 % chocolate biscuit crumbs, 10 % powder sugar, salt and a fat blend of 55 % fractionated palm oil representing 55 % of the total are thoroughly mixed at 35° C to a homogeneous biscuit mass which is liquid and pumpable and which is fed to an open dipping tank provided with a strirrer.

[0054] The aerated ice cream mass is dosed into a biscuit cone which is coated with a thin layer of chocolate caoting. In the cone line, the movement of the nozzle gives the ball top shape to the product. The product is evacuated to a hardening tunnel. After being cooled to -25° C, the cones are in upside done possition and a up and down moving dipping station coat the ball top ice cream totally till the beginning of the biscuit wafer by the liquid biscuit mass. After drying /hardening 30 to 60 seconds in a cooling/nitrogen spraying unit the coated cones packed in a flow-pack operation and stored in cold store at - 30° C.

Claims

1. Biscuit-like mass that looks like a biscuit at - 10° C or below, which is liquid from 15° C or above, which can be processed with ice confectionery as a coating or inclusion, which keeps its biscuit-like consistency on storage and consumption, and which comprises a mixture of particles of baked biscuit and a fat.

2. Biscuit-like mass according to claim 1, in which the fat is selected from the group consisting of partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, unmodified coconut fat, fractionated palm oil, partly fractionated milk fat and mixtures of those fats.

3. Biscuit-like mass according to claim 1, wherein the mixture contains 20 to 60 % by weight of biscuit particles and 80 to 40 % by weight of fat.

4. Biscuit-like mass according to claim 1, wherein the fat has a solid fat content of about 95 % at 10° C and about 0 % at 25° C.

5. Biscuit-like mass according to claim 3, in which the biscuit particles is partly replaced by other type of dry powder ingredients selected from the group consisting of cocoa, cereals, milk, nuts or coffee and, in the case of cocoa, cereals, milk in an amount of non biscuit powder representing from 1 to 50 % by weight of the powders and in the case of nuts and coffee representing from 0.5 to 15 % by weight of the powders.

6. Composite frozen confection which comprises a coating or a core or inclusion of biscuit-like mass according to any one of claims 1 to 5 and ice confectionery.

7. Composite frozen confection according to claim 6, in which ice confectionery is an aerated ice composition, aerated ice cream, sherbet or sorbet or ice yoghurt having a soft texture.

8. Composite frozen confection according to claim 8, in which aeration is at an overrun of between 40 and 150 %, and preferably at 80 to 120 % overrun.

9. Composite frozen confection according to claim 6, in which the ice confectionery is extruded and consists of distinct ice cream, sherbet or sorbet or ice yoghurt of different colour and perfumes which are co-extruded and may contain syrups or sauces or small inclusion particles so as to produce a composite or marbled or spotted body of substantial soft texture.

10. Composite frozen confection according to claim 6, which comprises in addition to the contrasted ice confectionery and biscuit-like coating, core or inclusion, additional material such as fat-based crispy material, preferably chocolate or confectionery coating.

11. Composite frozen confection according to any one of claims 6 to 10, in the form of a stick-bar, a cone, a sandwich, a cup, a bulk, a cake, a portion or a bar

12. Process for manufacturing a composite frozen confection comprising a biscuit-like mass as a coating, core or inclusion and ice confectionery, which comprises reducing a biscuit or biscuit crumbs, as by comminuting, crushing or grinding, to a particulate form, such as granular or powdered form, admixing the particles with a fat at a temperature comprised between 25° C and 35° C to form a homogeneous biscuit-like mass, and bringing ice confectionery and biscuit-like mass into contact.

13. 13. Process according to claim 12, which comprises dipping a moulded or extruded frozen confection into the liquid biscuit-like mass for coating it.

14. Process according to claim 12, which comprises forming a moulded frozen confection in a mould and injecting or filling the liquid biscuit-like mass into it.

15. Process according to claim 12, which comprises forming a shell, by dosing the biscuit-like mass from the bottom to the top in a mould at a temperature of from 20 to 45° C according to the type of fat used on a regular moulding line and sucking back the still liquid biscuit-like back after a holding time in the mould which defines the shell thickness, and dosing an ice confectionery into the shell.